Weekend: Books, roses and solidarity!

Sant Jordi is a love for literature, in the city. As ever, 23 April sees the city’s streets and squares fill with books and roses for one of the most special days of the year. This year over two hundred activities are being organised around the city’s neighbourhoods, with something for everyone. On Saturday, the day before Sant Jordi, there is also a packed agenda in the city with the anniversary of the Republic and the March for Science, coinciding with Earth Day.

As a prelude to the big day, the Sant Jordi literary dialogues are being organised on the three days beforehand and feature renowned Catalan and international writers, bringing them closer to readers. The conversations cover subjects such as power, the family, sex, literature and art. Saturday also bringsLa Nit del Drac, the main new feature for this year’s celebrations. The event pays homage to authors for whom 2017 marks an anniversary of some type. The act takes place in Pl. Comercial in the neighbourhood of El Born, with numerous artists and personalities from Catalan culture involved. Once again this year, coinciding with Sant Jordi, City Hall will be holding an open day from 10 am to 8 pm, with Sant Jordi and the princess on hand to welcome visitors as they arrive in the entrance in C/ Ciutat. The Maria Aurèlia Capmany viewing point, on the ninth floor of the Edifici Novíssim building, will also be open and free to visit (time slots should be booked in advance).

Solidarity roses and roses against oblivion

Solidarity comes in the shape of a rose for Sant Jordi. Solidarity roses will be on sale in the entrance to City Hall throughout the day and the money raised will all go to the Uszheimer, Jubert Figueras and Pasqual Maragall foundations, as well as the Associació de Familiars de Malalts d’Alzheimer de Barcelona. Another option to make a solidarity gesture is by collaborating with the ‘Roses contra l’oblit’ [Roses against oblivion] awareness campaign by the Amics de la Gent Gran organisation. The campaign is designed to raise awareness about prejudices relating to old age. The money raised will go towards support programmes for elderly people who live alone.

Popular festival to celebrate the Republican Spring

On Saturday the city speaks up for republican values with a series of acts forming part of the Republican Spring. This popular celebration is based around the reinstating of the popular name of the Plaça del Cinc d’Oros for the area at the junction where Av. Diagonal and Passeig de Gràcia converge. The site is the protagonist along with the Parc de la Guineueta, near Plaça de la República. Both squares have had their names changed, the aim being to honour Barcelona’s democratic past and pay homage to the republican values of liberty, equality and fraternity. The celebrations will be complemented with musical performances, human towers, giants and a popular botifarra sausage meal.

The March for Science and Earth Day

Barcelona joins over 500 other cities on theMarch for Science on Saturday, with a day focusing on the dialogue between science and society, coinciding with Earth Day. The Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) sets the scene for events, with activities for all sectors of the public: a round table, workshops, scientific and recreational shows and live music. The aim of the meeting is to highlight the importance of science in the present day, defending it from threats and reformulating its relationship with the political class and society in general.